Tyson Foods, one of the biggest food corporations in the world and Protix, the top supplier of insect components globally, have agreed to a two-fold investment. The strategic investment will help the developing insect ingredient sector flourish and increase the usage of insect ingredient solutions to provide more effective, sustainable proteins and lipids for the world food chain. In order to scale up production of insect ingredients and fulfill market demand, the deal combines Protix’s technology and market leadership with Tyson Foods’ global scale, experience, and network.
Tyson Foods will make a direct equity investment in Protix to acquire a small minority position in order to support the company’s international growth. Additionally, a joint venture between Tyson Foods and Protix has been established for the management and development of an insect ingredient factory in the continental United States. It will be the first facility of its kind to produce high-quality insect proteins and lipids from food manufacturing waste at scale, and it will primarily be used in the pet food, aquaculture, and cattle industries.
“Our partnership with Protix represents the latest strategic investment by Tyson Foods in groundbreaking solutions that drive added value to Tyson Foods’ business,” said John R. Tyson, chief financial officer of Tyson Foods. “The insect lifecycle provides the opportunity for full circularity within our value chain, strengthening our commitment to building a more sustainable food system for the future.”
Insect breeding, incubation, and larval hatching will all be supported by an enclosed system at the soon-to-be-constructed facility in the United States. Processed larvae can be utilized in animal and plant feed in addition to being used as ingredients in the aquaculture and pet food industries.
The Netherlands-based factory of Protix, a fully integrated insect ingredients company, produces and processes 14,000 metric tons of LLE annually as of 2019. As the demand for insect ingredients rises, it benefits significant global businesses in the pet food, aquaculture feed, animal feed, and organic fertilizer sectors.
Find out more at: https://www.tysonfoods.com